Tape wrapping arrangement

ABSTRACT

A tape wrapping arrangement requiring but a single drive means, in which tape is shingle wrapped about a rotating mandrel. Preimpregnated tape from its roll has its free end attached to a forward inclined surface of a sleeve carried by the mandrel and is fed in successive layers by a cylindrical roller. The roller is biased toward the mandrel by a double acting air cylinder of a free wheeling carriage. An adjustable knuckle structure interconnects the cylinder piston rod and the roller journal so that selected shingles angles may be wrapped.

United States Patent Miller [451- Oct. 17, 1972 [54] TAPE WRAPPINGARRANGEMENT 3,140,968 7/1964 Barrios et al. ..l56/ 192 [72] Inventor;Dona Min Rockaway, 3,141,806 7/l964 Relnman ..l56/425 3,300,356 1/1967Warnken et al. ..156/189 [73] Assignee: The United States of America as3,367,817 2/1968 Bluck 156/425 X represented by the Secretary of the3,400,029 9/1968 Mesrobian et al. ....156/425 X Army PrimaryExaminer-Billy S. Taylor [221 March 1971 Attorney-Harry M; Saragovitz eta1. 1211 Appl. No.: 119,777

- [57] ABSTRACT Related Apphcauon Dan A tape wrapping arrangementrequiring but a single 163] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 744,513,July drive means, in which tape is shingle wrapped about a 12 19abandone rotating mandrel. Preimpregnated tape from its roll has itsfree end attached to a forward inclined surface 52 us. c1. ..242/7.23,156/195, 156/425 of a Sleeve carried by the mandrel and is fed insucces- 1511 1111.01. ..B65h 81/00 sive by a cylindma' P" "1" biased I58] Field 0 Search 242/2 3 7 21 7 22 7 23 toward the mandrel by a doubleacting air cylinder of a free wheeling carriage. An adjustable knucklestruc- 242/55, 157.1, 158; 156/192, 195,184,185, ture interconnects thecylinder piston rod and the 426 roller journal so that selected shinglesangles may be wrapped. [56] References Cited 7 Claims, 3 Drawing FiguresUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,336,684 12/1943 Hendrickson ..242/ 157.1

PAIENTEnum 11 1972 SHEET 1 BF 2 I INVENTOR. DONALD M ILLE R MATTORNEIYS.

:A/ on BY and;

TAPE WRAPPING ARRANGEMENT This application is a continuation-in-part ofmy copending application Ser. No. 744,513 filed July 12, 1968, and nowabandoned.

The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and licensedby or for the Government for governmental purposes without the paymentto me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to tape wrapping apparatus, and more particularly,to shingle wrapping of tape about a rotating mandrel for use asinsulative materials in rocket motor cases and nozzles. I

One of the objects of the inventionis to provide a tape wrappingarrangement requiring but a single independent drive system.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an arrangement inwhich a tape depositing pressure roller has a self-indexing traverse ofmotion.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an arrangement inwhich tape can be wrapped at selected shingle angles.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become moreapparent from the following description and accompanying drawing inwhich:

FlG. l is a schematic view, partially in section, of the preferredarrangement embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a preferred knuckle mountingconnection in the FIG. I arrangement.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2. I

For the purpose of forming insulative material to be used in rocketnozzle construction, a rotatable mandrel (FIG. 1) with a conicallyshaped lateral surface 11 has one end of its threadedly connected shaftmeans 12 appropriately journalled in support bearingl3. The other end ofshaft means 12 is connected through suitable gear train l4, l5, 16 to avariable speed driving shaft 17 and its motor.

The reduced shank or stub portion 19 of the mandrel 11 is tapped andreceives a selected sleeve member 20 which is secured in place againstthe mandrel flanged surface 11A by a suitable nut 20A. The forward face21 of the sleeve is preferably inclined such that it, as well as thesuccessively formed tape exposed surfaces 22, form an obtuse angle withthe mandrel lateral surface ll.

The same or a similar sleeve with the desired conically shaped forwardsurface may be employed with a cylindrical mandrel where the objectiveis to provide shingle wrapped insulative materials for substantially.

cylindrical portions of rocket motor casings, so long as a feasibleobtuse angle exists between the sleeve conical forward surface or thesubsequent exposed tape surfaces and the mandrel lateral surface.

Preimpregnated tape 24 is fed from an appropriately mounted tape roll 25through suitable tensioning nip roller means (not shown) and depositedby pressure roller 26 (FIGS. 1, 2) in successive helical turns upon thesleeve conical forward surface 21 and forwardly along or about themandrel lateral surface 1 1. Pressure roller 26 is appropriatelyjournaled and inclined such that its journal axis 27 is substantiallyparallel to the sleeve surface 21 which is suitable slotted to aid ininitially securing the free end of tape 24 that is heated by a cartridgeheater 40 secured within a steel sleeve 41 and having electrical wires42 leading to an appropriate potentiometer (not shown). Sleeve 41 ispositioned within roller 26 and between the inner races of the rollerjournal bearings 42, 43 which are press fitted thereagainst. Externallythreaded tubular supports 27, 27 are threaded through openings in yokeor clevis arms 26A, 26A of a knuckle mounting arrangement to firmly abutthe ends of sleeve 41 and heater 40. Piston 29 is slidably mountedwithin the carriage cylinder 30 whose wheels 31 are oriented forlongitudinal movement parallel to mandrel shaft 12 and along a suitablemachine bed or track means 32. Preferably, fluid control conduits 34 and36 sealingly connect an appropriate pressure and direction controlvalving device 35 with the double-acting air cylinder 30 so as toprovide a predeterminedly controlled or selective effective pressureupon the underside of piston 29 during tape wrapping such that a forwardedge of roller 26 is tapelocked by the sleeve surface 21 or exposed tapesurface 22 and biased against the mandrel lateral surface ll. Thus, thetape depositing pressure roller 26 has a self-indexing traverse ofmotion, as the controlled effective pressure on piston 29 is maintainedthrough fluid relief line 34 such that successive layers of tapebuild-up urge the piston away from the mandrel axis to overcomethetapelock and the carriage body freely moves in a direction normal topiston travel. The tape 24 is fed between the pressure roller 26 and theconical sleeve face 21 or successive exposed previously wrapped tapelayers 22 and at a predetermined tension, linear speed and temperature.

The knuckle mounting arrangement shown generally at 45 (FIGS. 2, 3)interconnects the cylinder piston rod 28 and the clevis arm journalsupports 27. Between side fram members 46, 47 are suitably secured bybolt or screw means 48a pair of end fram members 49, 49 to which therespective clevis arms 26A, 26A are secured by bolt or screw means 50with the aid of a dowel pin 51. An adjustable knuckle member 52, whichthreadedly receives the threaded end of piston rod 28, is secured in aselected position by fastening screws 53 such that the pressure roller26 can wrap tape at any shingle angle, from one almost parallel to themandrel surface of revolution to one almost perpendicular thereto.

Various modifications, changes or alterations may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim: 6

1. In a tape wrapping arrangement having a rotatable conical mandrel andmeans for rotating said mandrel about its longitudinal axis,

a roll of tape,

pressure roller means for shingle wrapping said tape about at least aportion of the lateral surface of said mandrel when said mandrel isrotated, said tape being deposited so that its exposed surface isinclined at an obtuse angle to the mandrel latera surface,

a carriage, means mounting said carriage for free wheeling movement in adirection substantially parallel to said mandrel longitudinal axis withsaid carriage positionable in response to tape build-up along saidmandrel lateral surface, said carriage having a piston thereintranslatable in a direction normal to the motion of said carriage, andconstant pressure control means operatively associated with said piston,

a piston rod connecting said piston with said pressure roller means andtranslatable in response to change in diameter of said mandrel as saidpressure roller means is advanced along said mandrel lateral surface,

said tape wrapping arrangement being so constructed and arranged that asingle drive mechanism for rotating said mandrel to shingle wrap saidtape operates independent of said carriage and said carriage is movedalong an axis parallel to said mandrel longitudinal axis in response totape build-up.

2. The structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein a sleeve carried bysaid mandrel has'an inclined forward surface upon which is secured afree end portion of the first turn of said tape.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said pressure roller means includesa cylindrical roller biased against said mandrel lateral surface, thelongitudinal axis of said roller being substantially parallel to saidsleeve forward surface.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said carriage ineludes an elongatedfluid cylinder, the mounting means includes "on said carriage wheelmeans journalled said constant pressure, and control means includes afluid system connected to said fluid cylinder at points above and belowthe piston travel path.

5. The structure-of claim l'in which said mandrel rotatingmechanismincludes a variable speed drive member, and gear transmission meansinterconnecting said drive member with anaxial shaft of said mandrel.

'6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said piston rod is connected tosaid roller means by an adjustable knuckle arrangement, said knucklearrangement including a frame having a knuckle member adjusting securedthereto said'piston rod threadedly secured to said knuckle member, andsaid frame having a pair of substantially parallel arms extendingsubstantially transversely of said frame and containing means forjournally supporting said pressure roller means.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said journal support means includesa pair of opposed externally threaded tubular supports in abutment withopposed ends of a cartridge heater and its surrounding sleeve, andjournal bearings carried by said roller means and having a correspondinginner race in abutment with said sleeve.

1. In a tape wrapping arrangement having a rotatable conical mandrel andmeans for rotating said mandrel about its longitudinal axis, a roll oftape, pressure roller means for shingle wrapping said tape about atleast a portion of the lateral surface of said mandrel when said mandrelis rotated, said tape being deposited so that its exposed surface isinclined at an obtuse angle to the mandrel lateral surface, a carriage,means mounting said carriage for free wheeling movement in a directionsubstantially parallel to said mandrel longitudinal axis with saidcarriage positionable in response to tape build-up along said mandrellateral surface, said carriage having a piston therein translatable in adirection normal to the motion of said carriage, and constant pressurecontrol means operatively associated with said piston, a piston rodconnecting said piston with said pressure roller means and translatablein response to change in diameter of said mandrel as said pressureroller means is advanced along said mandrel lateral sUrface, said tapewrapping arrangement being so constructed and arranged that a singledrive mechanism for rotating said mandrel to shingle wrap said tapeoperates independent of said carriage and said carriage is moved alongan axis parallel to said mandrel longitudinal axis in response to tapebuild-up.
 2. The structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein a sleevecarried by said mandrel has an inclined forward surface upon which issecured a free end portion of the first turn of said tape.
 3. Thestructure of claim 2 wherein said pressure roller means includes acylindrical roller biased against said mandrel lateral surface, thelongitudinal axis of said roller being substantially parallel to saidsleeve forward surface.
 4. The structure of claim 1 wherein saidcarriage includes an elongated fluid cylinder, the mounting meansincludes on said carriage wheel means journalled said constant pressure,and control means includes a fluid system connected to said fluidcylinder at points above and below the piston travel path.
 5. Thestructure of claim 1 in which said mandrel rotating mechanism includes avariable speed drive member, and gear transmission means interconnectingsaid drive member with an axial shaft of said mandrel.
 6. The structureof claim 1 wherein said piston rod is connected to said roller means byan adjustable knuckle arrangement, said knuckle arrangement including aframe having a knuckle member adjustably secured thereto, said pistonrod threadedly secured to said knuckle member, and said frame having apair of substantially parallel arms extending substantially transverselyof said frame and containing means for journally supporting saidpressure roller means.
 7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said journalsupport means includes a pair of opposed externally threaded tubularsupports in abutment with opposed ends of a cartridge heater and itssurrounding sleeve, and journal bearings carried by said roller meansand having a corresponding inner race in abutment with said sleeve.